Fruit harvester



F. DALE. FRUIT HARVESTER.

APPLICATION man FEB.7,1921.

1,410,3'7 9. I Patented Mar. 21, 19.22.

,n 5 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Al IORNEY F. DALE.

FRUIT HARVESTER. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 7, 1921.

1,410,379, Patented Mar. 21,1922.

' 5 SHEETS-skin 2.

2.9 L-.. l ze la@ L ,rv INVENTOR ATTORNEY WITNESS! F. DALE.

FRUITHARVESTEB.. PPLICATION man FEB, 1. 192|.

1,410,379, Patented Ma1-.21,1922."

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

A'ITDRNEY F. DALE.

FRUIT HARVESTER. APPLICATION man res. 1. 1921.

1,410,379, Patented Maf. 21,1922.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4 WITNES:

F. DALE.

FBUIT HARVESTER.l

APPLICATION HLED nis1 1921.

n .1,4110379 Patented Mar. 21,1922.

ATYQRNEY UNITED 5T FRANK DALF., 0F O.

i artnr carries.

FPVUT HARVESTER.

Application filed February '7, 1921.

Mv object is to secure around a tree, Afrom which the nuts or fruit isto be gathered, a canvas or similar fabric body which is bellied 'fromthe ends to the center thereof, and which is suitably supported inapproximate] v a horizontal' position, regardless ot the uneven groundsurfaces on which the same is arranged, said body havingl a depending'valved spout through which the :truitor nuts pass when the same havebeen shaken or otherwise removed 'from the tree on to the` body,suitable boxes being arranged beneath the funnel to receive the fruit ornuts, and the valve operated in accordance with the filling; ot theboxes.

A further object 'is the arrangement oit a fabric funnel provided with adepending valved outlet spout, a iframe of a novel construction, andboth the funnel and the iframe being' adjustable and of a naturewherein.' the device may be, arranged around varying` sizes ot treesfrom which the fruits or nuts arey to be harvested, novel means beingprovided 'for supporting the trame, and novel means being; also providedfor retaining' the corners of the funnel at a `i'forivard inclination sothat the liability et the fruit or nuts dropping oil' of the cornerswill be thus prevented. Y

It is still 'further object of the invention to produce a nut or` fruitharvester which includes a trame havin its end mein bers constructedotteleseopic sections, and one ot its side members constructed ot tivopivoted sections provided with means Whereby the4 same may be quicklyand effectively secured in longitudinal alignment, the 'framesupportingy thereon a fabric 'funnel which is of a size and constructionto permit of the same being adjustable when the'frame is adjusted, andwhich is provided with means Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 21, 1922.

Serial No. 443,092.

'.vhercb'v the same may be arranged to entirely surround the base ot thetree, the said 'funnel having a depending abric spout.

which is valved so as to regulate the onthou' ot the fruit or nutstherethrough, and the trame being' supported on legs'ivhich'are swiveledthereto in a novel manner whereby Vthe trame and funnel may be supportedsul stantially horizontal regardless of thc irrejr ularities of theground surface on which it is arranged.

ik further object is the production ot' a` fruit or nut harvesterincluding a frame that supports thereon a fabric funnel provided with avalved outlet spout, said trame having` means engagingf with the edgesof the iunnel Vtor sustaining' the same at an upward` angle with respectto the trarne, the end members ol' the frame being' constructed oftelescopic sections Which are latched, one oi. the 'former comprisingtwo hinged members, having; means at the confronting' ends thereof forlocking' the saine in longitudinal alignment and also having' means ttor.releasingthe latches. when the side members are swung away 'from eachother to permit ot the adjustment ot the telescopic end members Withoutnecessitating; the operator actually engaging); the latches. i

lt is a still further object of the invention to produce a nut or fruitharvester including an adjustable iframe having siviveled supporting;legs, a 'fruit or nut receiving' funnel being'` removably attached tothe 'liramegand adjustable with the frame, said tunnel beingslotted atone of: its sides to permit or the same being arranged around the baseof the tree to be'harvested, connecting ineansjbeing provided 'betweenthe edges of the said slit portions of the funnel, a collar being alsoarranged at the terminal of the slit designed to surround and beadjustably connected to the base of the tree, While the said funnel isalso provided with a depending' spout at the deepest portion of thefunnel-j, and a valve controls the outlet of the spout.

The foregoing, and other objects which vvillv appear VVas the nature` ofthe invention is better understood, may .be accomplished by aconstruction, combination and operative arrangement of parts, such asdisclosed by the drawings which' accompany and. which form part of thisspecification.

In the dra-Wings iFigure l is a view showing the arrangement of myimproved harvester around a tree. Y c

Figure 2 is an enlarged end elevation of the improvement.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view thereof.

Figure 4 is a sectional view approximately on the line 4 4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a sectional view approximately on the line 5-5 of Figure l.

Figure 6 is a sectional view approximately on the line 6-6 of Figure l.

Figure 7 is a sectional view approximately on the line 7-7 of Figure l.

Figure 8 isa perspective View illustrating the manner in Which the legsare connected to the frame;

Fi ure 9 lis a View illustrating the manner -in W ich one of the hingedsides is conA nected to one of the telescopic end members of the frame.

Figure l0 is a View showing the manner in which the sectional sides areconnected and held in longitudinal alignment. c

Figure ll is a bottom View of the funnel detached.

It will be noted, as the description progresses, that the improvement,when not in use, may be folded to provide a small package which may bereadily carried from tree to tree, the construction, it is to be statedbeing of light material. The funnel may be readily removed from theframe, and While not so illustrated inV the drawings, both of the sidemembers of the frame may be hingedly connected to the telescopic endsthereof, and also, as a matter of fact, the lined side 4member may beremovably attached to the ends.

Theframe is preferably made up of light and strongvwood which may bereinforced by metallic plates that are secured thereto,

at pointswvhere the'frame is most liable to breakage. VAs one of theside members ofthe frame is, in the drawings, shovvnV indicated by thenumeral 3 abut With the inner face of the fixed side 1, and may benailed or otherwise secured thereto if desu'ed. However, these Woodenmembers 3 have secured to the opposite faces thereof the parallel plateset of a substantially U- shaped metallic housing 5, the said housingprojecting outward from each ofthe memfbers 3, and the platesi, attheends thiereef,-

which are arranged over the ends of the .fixed side Ll, are formed withextensions 6 af'liich are bolted or otherwise secured to the said fixedside member. 5 provide pockets for the outer and movable sections 7ofthe ends 2. The movable sections 7 are preferably in the nature ofcross sectionally rounded rods that may, if desired, be notched. Thesesections are,

however, squared at the portions thereof re- ,offset to provideV whatmay be `termed a handle l0, and to each of the handles there connected aflexible element ll, for a purpose which will presently be described.

The outer ends'of the movable sections 7.

lare preferably squared or rectangular in cross section and havehingedly connected thereto, as at l2, the sections 13 and 14;respectively of the movable side of the frame. The sections 13 and 14Carein the nature of rod members, but haveV theirends reinforced bymetallic plates, and `to one of'these plates, l5, the hinge l2is'connected The plate 16 en the free end of the section l3fhas a keyhole slot 17 therethrough, andthe plate i8 on the free end of thesection 14' has a substantially T-shapedextension 19 that is designed tobe received in theley hole slot 17 whereby the sections 13 andV 14 areheld secured in longitudinal alignment., To the sections '1 3 and lltherespective flexible elements ll are connected, as indicated by themineral 20.V 'it will be apparent that when the sections 13 and 14 areswung outwardly on the sections of the telescopic sides of the frame,the flexible elements l1 will be drawn taut, so that the dogs 8 will vbeswung on their pivots 9, to causeV the ends 8 thereof to depress 'the'latches 7 against the influence' of their springs 7, bringing thesaidlatches below the openingsl 8 in thehousing @and tlnis permitting themembers 7 to be moved outrialdiy` on `the fixed end sections 2.

0n the outei1 ends of the section 7, andadjacent the corners of thefixed side l, are depending substantially U-shaped brackets 21. Betweenthe arms of each of the brackets there is pivoted, as at 22, a ringmember 23. The ring, at points arranged right angularly Vof its pivotsVhas openings therethrough.

VThe legs are indicated by the numeral 24. Fach of the legs has securedtoits sides c upwardly extending metallic rods 25'. These rods, at theupper ends of the legs are The housings bentinwardly and .from thenceextended upwardly and the last mentioned portions are bent outwardly toprovide lingers 27. The

lingers 2T are oppositely directed, and are designed to be passedthrough the openings in t ie rings of the respective brackets. In thismanner, the legs are swiveled on the frame. Between each ofthe legsandthe members constituting the frame there are angular-ly arranged guyropes 28 secured in eyes 29 on the side members of the frame. Each legis provided with two guy ropes 28 which are arranged at right angleswith respect to each other. Any two of the diagonally opposed legs willbe sutlicient to maintain an approximately horizontal position of thedevice, with the assistance of the opposing two legs which latter actonly as partial sustaining members. Vhere the uneven ground is such thatthe guys cannot be used, or where two legs are acting as naturalsupports and are not diagonally opposed, then a third leg is swung untila desired tightness is obtained in the guys, when the third leg is stuckin the ground. Thus any two diagonally opposing legs, with their fourguys or any two legs that are not diagonally opposed may be brought toproper supporting position by the adjustment of a single leg, which, ofcourse, draws taut its guys, and as a consequence draws taut the guys ofthe other legs.

At the top of the frame, on the corners thereof are upstanding angularlydisposed rods 21, arranged in pairs. One pair of these rods, or ifdesired, only a single rod is also arranged at the end of the fixedsections of the side members. These rods are trained through eyespreferably formed by stitches on the iianged edge 30 of the fabricfunnel 3l. The funnel has its edges, at its juncture with its flangesprovided, on its under face with eyes 32 that are. designed to receiveeX- pansible studs on the upper face of the frame. Thus the funnel isremovably connected'to the frame, and the side flanges of the saidfunnel will direct the fruit or nuts to the center thereof which, ofcourse, :is bellied downwardly and which is provided with the outletspout.

The edge of the funnel arranged over the hinged sides of the frame isslitted toward the center' thereof, and one of the edges thus providedhas secured on its under face eyelets 34 which are designed to receivecompressible eyes 35 provided on the other edge which is overlapped bythe first mentioned edge. At the terminal of the slit portions there issecured a fabric collar 36, that has its inner and fixed end providedwith a compressible stud 37 designed to be engaged by one of spaced eyes38 on the inner' face of the collar. The collar is designed to bearranged around and secured on the trunk of the tree.

The funnel has an outlet opening therein surrounded by a dependingpreferably fabric spout 39, and the numeral -ll designates a valve forregulating the outlet of the spout.

The flexible latch operating elements, connected'to the hinged sectionsof the side of the iframe, passing through the guide 4l secured upon theunder face of the fabric funnel to insure theproper operation of thelatches f when the said side sections shrunk, and the flexible elementsmay also` provide reinforcing means for the bottom of the funnel.

rIlhe funnel has its ends connected to the movable end members of theframe, through the medium of rings '-12 which are arranged around thesaid frame sections and which are stitched or otherwise secured to thefunnel.

It is believed that the foregoing description, when taken in connectionwith the drawings will clearly set forth the construction, operation andadvantages of the improvement without ,further detailed description.,but it is thought necessary to state that the description and drawingsrefer only to a satisfactory embodimentof the improvement, and that Imay make all such changes as fall within the scope of what is claimed.

Thaty I claim is l. In a fruit or' nut harvester, a fabric funnelslitted to receive a tree, means connecting the slit edges of thefunnel, said funnel having a flanged edge, a collapsible frame includingtelescopic .members supporting the funnel, means on said frame engagingtheV flange of the funnel for sustaining the same upright, swiveled legssupporting the frame, and means between said legs and frame forarranging the former angularly with respect to the latter for holdingthe frame substantially horizontally.

2. In a nut or fruit harvester, a fabric funnel slitted to receive atree, means for connecting the slit edges thereof, said funnel havingflanged edges, an'outlet opening, a depending spout surrounding theopening, a valve controlling the outlet spout, a frame supporting thefunnel including afixed side and fixed end member, telescopic sectionsslidable in the end members, means for latching said sections in saidmembers, a sectional side hingedly supported on the respectivetelescopic sections, interengaging means at the confronting ends of theside sections, and means connected to the side sections andto thelatches for releasing said latches when the side sections are swung awayfrom each other.

3. In a nut or fruit harvester, a fabric funnel having {ianged edgesslitted to receive a tree, latching means connecting the slit portionsof the funnel, said funnel having an outlet spout, a valve therefor, acollapsible and telescopic frame supporting the funnel, means betweenthe frame and the funnel detachably connecting the funnel to the frame,

upstanding elements on the frame engaging the ange of the funnel, thesides of the vframe comprising telescopio members7 rings secured to thefunnel and arranged over the 5 telescopic members, lneans'adjusteblysecuring the telescopic members, hinged side seetions Connected to theouter telescopic sections, interlocking Ineens et the confront-ing endsof the said sections, and ineens between 10 said sections and thesecuring means of the FRANK DALE,

